Bridled Deception
by SilverLily aka Blood Moon
Summary: Yuugi found a dying demon on his way home one rainy night, and offered him comfort in his own home. The demon, who's spirit has been broken, knows not what he does anymore. Y/YY
1. In the Dark of the Night

Crimson liquid spilled profusely onto the drenched pavement. A muscular hand struggled vainly to suppress the blood-flow, but it kept slipping and gurgling past his fingers. Hot agony danced through his severed nerves, lacerated flesh screaming in pain.  
  
Rain water, falling in torrential sheets, washed away his vital fluid to the ground below, blurring even further his already teared vision. He'd scream if he could, but no. His raw throat was clutched tightly in the hands of an angry giant, strangling him to no end.  
  
Crack! Lightning crashed through the blackened sky, thunder roared with a lion's vitality. His ear drums buzzed with the deep reverberations, traveling down deep to rattle the marrow of his exauhsted bones.  
  
Spiked ebony hair, tipped in a vibrant ruby, clung hap-hazard to his flushed cheeks; golden crown of bangs falling mercilessly into his tired eyes.  
  
So much blood lost, so little life left. Those hunting him had left him for dead.  
  
That was over four hours ago.  
  
The waning hours of the night were drawing to a rapid close. He would die if he didn't find shelter. He was going to die anyway. There was no denying that fact.  
  
He could hear the grim reaper crawling at his doorstep.  
  
His presence was going to fall off the face the earth and there wasn't a soul that would miss him.  
  
Miss him. Ha! Were he not in so much pain, he'd laugh for all his worth.  
  
No one would miss him. No one would grieve and no one would mourn. If anything, they'd cheer.  
  
The sadistic thoughts coursing through his mind would make the keeper of the damned shiver in terror. Blood-stained memories and tortured screams were the only things that filled his head.  
  
Who would want a bastard like him alive any longer? He was only getting what he duly deserved.  
  
Damn karma. His unspeakable sins had finally caught up with him.  
  
Once again he tried to force his dying body to move, and once again he only succeeded in causing more blood to pour from his still open wound.  
  
Foul language of every tongue left his mouth in a violent stream. Say hello to the end.  
  
Slowly, his pride began to leave him, his capricious nature falling to the ashes. He would fight it no longer. There was no point. What did it matter now, anyway? His spirit had finally broke. By morning he would be dead.  
  
The rain continued to fall, beating away his arrogant nature. And it was the dreary rain that he would last remember. What a wonderful end to a bloodied life.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Yuugi had been appalled. Since when did his grandfather's car -not- work?  
  
That answer was simple enough. It was because of the rain. Rain always gave people car problems, the Moto's in particular.  
  
Still, he had to make it home. Next Friday, the teen promised to himself that he would not stay up for any late-night movies at Jonouchi's house. Especially if it was a cheesy horror film with the world worst special effects.  
  
Rain beat down heavily upon his face. The umbrella wasn't helping much at all. If anything, it was merely slowing him down as it was whipped about in the gushing winds.  
  
'You have to be home tonight, Yuugi,' his grandfather's voice rang through his head. 'Lots of work tomorrow.'  
  
Grumbling to himself, he trudged on as fast as he could, head bent down.  
  
Not even his arms could stop the rain from getting in his face!  
  
Not one soul was out in the road, especially at this time of night. Not even a late worker coming home in their vehicle.  
  
Street lights tried valiantly to pierce the heavy rains, giving little light in the dark night around him.  
  
His foot splashed accidentally in the gutter, causing the running stream to splash around him, drenching his pants the rest of the way. After all, the rest of him was completely wet. Oh, a warm bed sure sounded good right now.  
  
Wait, something wasn't right with the water. What was it? Dirtier than usual? Discolored?  
  
By the gods, it looked like blood! Blood was running down from the sidewalk!  
  
Horrified, he followed it to find the source. A small alley not too far off. It was a very small one, just a little corner at the end of an old antique shop.  
  
Curled in a fetal position, alone in a dreary corner, a small figure lay cloaked in darkness.  
  
Cautiously, Yuugi began to reason with himself. It couldn't have been a gang fight or something, there'd be more bodies, more sign of destruction. A burglar? No, someone would have called the police, or an ambulance.  
  
Eventually, Yuugi's compassion for an injured person overrode his logic.  
  
Tentatively, ignoring the falling rain, he walked up to the lonely figure.  
  
"Are you alright? Can you hear me?" He walked over and held the umbrella above the person's head. It looked like a male, not much older than him. His hair was too wet and too plastered to his frame to tell what it looked like, though. Sheltered from the wind as they were, it actually did some good to have the umbrella over him. At least now he might be able to open his eyes.  
  
And open his eyes he did.  
  
The sickly pale lids flickered open to reveal the brightest crimson eyes that Yuugi had ever seen.  
  
And the teenager thought that his eyes were rare, being purple.  
  
Yuugi's heart clenched tight. The look of desperation, sadness, and the overall sense of loss and giving up nearly made him choke.  
  
"W-what happened to you?" he stammered.  
  
The ruby eyes starred at him in disbelief, or awe, or bemusement. Yuugi couldn't be sure.  
  
"We have to get you out of here, and into someplace warm!"  
  
Still no answer, just that saddened stare. It was almost as if they were saying 'there's nothing that you can do now.'  
  
But Yuugi was determined. Seeing that one arm was being clutched, and covered in blood despite the rain, he decided to steer clear of that one. Instead, he wrapped his arm around the stranger's waist on the opposite side and heaved upward gently with all of his might. After all, he was a very small person.  
  
The other male groaned in pain, but Yuugi kept going, supporting the heavy body against himself as he dragged it along.  
  
Under the light of the street, the true color of the other boy was finally revealed: sickly pale and tinged with blue.  
  
A large loss of blood.  
  
His home at the local game shop wasn't too far off now, only a few more minutes and he would be there.  
  
After what must have been an eternity of pulling, grunting, re- positioning and curses, Yuugi walked up to the front door that read 'Sorry, we're closed, please come back later.' A warm, welcoming light filled the entire store. With an exauhsted grumble, the teenager pushed open the door, almost dropping his cargo to the floor.  
  
"Oh, Yuugi, you're home. What took you so-" Solomon Moto stopped short, looking down at what his grandson was carrying.  
  
"Grandpa, we have to help him! He was just laying there in an empty alley, bleeding to death! Please!"  
  
Trying to recover from this shock, he couldn't help but think of what a good heart that Yuugi had.  
  
But enough of that, from the look of the stranger, he'd have to work quickly to save him.  
  
"I'll bring him into the bathroom, Yuugi, and put him in the tub for now. He's spilling blood all over the floor."  
  
His grandson shook his head vigorously in agreement, gladly handing over his burden. Every muscle was aching.  
  
"I'll get the first aid kit."  
  
In any other person's case, they might have taken the wounded boy directly to a hospital, but they didn't need to, and in this case, they didn't have the time.  
  
Solomon Moto had training in medical care. Out on archeological digs all of the time in Egypt, there wasn't always a ready facility to house the wounded or sick. So, naturally, the elder man had studied profusely to be able to tend to the needs of others in more extensive situations. And people got hurt in digs quite frequently.  
  
In their small bathroom, Yuugi tumbled in, still in his sopping wet clothes, clutching the handle of a big, pale pink box. When he was young, it had always reminded him of the Pepto-Bismol that people always took for stomach aches. In a way, he would always think of it like that.  
  
Grandpa had stripped the wounded boy in his tub to a thin pair of boxer- shorts.  
  
The amount of bruises, cuts, punctures and lacerations was appalling. The worst was his left arm, which was still bleeding.  
  
"Quickly, Yuugi, get out the stitches, otherwise this will never close."  
  
It didn't look like he would need any anesthetic. The youth was already passed out, moaning in his sleep. It was a surprise that he hadn't passed out hours ago.  
  
"Are you going to be able to help him grandpa?"  
  
The old man sighed, running a hand through his silver hair. "We're in for a rough night, Yuugi."  
  
* * * * * 


	2. Retaliation of the Wicked

Bridled Deception  
  
Yuugi softly pushed open the wooden door to the spare bedroom, careful not to make too many obtrusive noises. The strange youth that he had found the night before was still unconscious on the bed, carefully wrapped in a sea of blankets and pillows. The rain continued to beat down upon the window.  
  
Setting down the tray of food that he had brought up, Yuugi gave a stifled sigh. It had been a long night. A -very- long night. His poor grandfather had worked endlessly on that arm, and didn't seem to be able to get the blood to stop flowing from the punctures and lacerations for nearly half an hour. As it was, the bandages needed to be changed every two.  
  
The exauhsted teen took off the damp cloth from the stranger's forehead and replaced it with a fresh one, nice and cold to keep the blood vessels from swelling in the stranger's head. Those bright crimson eyes slowly fluttered open, the same look of depression as apparent as before. Very slowly did they come to focus, finally noticing the body next to him, who looked starkly similar to his own face. Funny just how much more angelic this duplicate looked. Was he supposed to represent the innocence he never had? Or maybe he did have it at one time, but could no longer remember it.  
  
"Am I dead?" His voice felt raspy and tired. At least he wasn't in pain anymore.  
  
Yuugi chuckled dryly. "No, not yet anyway. And we intend to keep it that way. Grandpa had some spare Codeine for the pain. With how much of it you would have been in when you woke up, it was probably worth taking the chance of you being allergic to it or anything."  
  
He stared in bewilderment. Had this child brought him home? And cared for him? He wouldn't have, if he knew what it was that he was now harboring.  
  
"May I ask your name?" Yuugi ventured. "My name's Yuugi. I brought some food up for you. You'll be needing it to get your strength back."  
  
The stranger didn't answer. Why should he? The child would probably hate his name anyway. As for food, well, he didn't require _that_ kind of nourishment.  
  
But that didn't matter. Not anymore. He shouldn't even be here. He should be dead right now. He should be. He WANTED to be. That's what he deserved, after all.  
  
"Leave me alone," he choked.  
  
Yuugi looked puzzled. "What?"  
  
"Go," he breathed. Yuugi could see streams of silent tears pouring down the stranger's cheeks.  
  
"You're crying," the teen stated. Concerned, he began to wipe away the salty vapors, offering a comforting hug.  
  
But the one lying on the bed knew that the child was doing it from blind compassion. If he truly knew what he was holding, he'd scream. Or run. Or both.  
  
He was a monster. He was one that reveled in the smell and the taste of blood, the feel of a blood-curdling scream rattling his bones, a useless cry for mercy. And currently, he was completely helpless. What good was a useless monster?  
  
"Leave me alone! Go away!" He cried, and shoved Yuugi to the floor.  
  
But that had been a mistake. A sudden movement like that caused every nerve to alight in agony anew. Flames poured through him and scorched the remains of his tattered, mangled body.  
  
He screamed.  
  
"Grandpa, grandpa come quick!" Yuugi called from the door.  
  
The stranger on the bed was writhing in pain, holding desperately to his left arm and the blood flowed again.  
  
Mr. Moto ran in and began trying to suppress the youth on the bed from moving, lest he do even more damage.  
  
"Hold still, young one. We'll get this to stop."  
  
But the youth in pain didn't hear him. He couldn't even see through the red haze of agony.  
  
* * * *  
  
Yuugi sighed outside of the door, resting against the wall. A few stifled whimpers still leaked through to their ears.  
  
"Yuugi, what happened?" Solomon asked, huffing in exhaustion. Kids were getting stronger and stronger these days.  
  
"I brought up the tray of food, and he woke up when I replaced the damp cloth. All I did was ask him his name, and tell him that he should probably eat something. Then he started crying. When I asked him what was wrong, I don't know. Maybe I was leaning in too closely. I told me to leave him alone, and he shoved me away. Oh, it's all my fault."  
  
Yuugi looked dejected, but his grandfather looked contemplative. "No, Yuugi. It's not your fault. Not wanting to eat, isolation, retaliation to compassion, I don't know. I think he may have some very troubling emotional issues to work through."  
  
"Well, I guess that would explain it."  
  
"Sounds like his spirit was broken somehow. Did he tell you his name?"  
  
"No."  
  
* * *  
  
Even after a whole week had passed, the stranger, who they had currently dubbed 'Oscar' due to his gloomy moods and fiery outbursts, had not shown any signs of mental or physical recovery. Mr. Moto was ready to hand him over to some professional who might be able to deal with such a troubled youth, but Yuugi was unsure.  
  
'Just think about it, Grandpa. He feels terrible about himself. If we send him somewhere else, he may never recover.'  
  
It made sense, but why Yuugi was so concerned about a total stranger was still beyond the aged man.  
Yuugi dropped his book bag down on the tile with a groan. It had been a VERY long day.  
  
"How was school, Yuugi?" Solomon asked, curious.  
  
"Well, I had a chemistry test, a geography test, an English test, and I had to run the mile. It has been exhausting, too say the least."  
  
"I'm sorry to hear that. Oh, could you check on Oscar for me, I need to do some bookwork for the shop."  
  
"Sure, Grandpa."  
  
Removing his shoes, Yuugi proceeded to the living to the living quarters of their home.  
  
It was quite depressing, trying to crack the barrier that the strange youth had established. But Yuugi was determined, he would make it through. He would help. Why he wanted to, not even Yuugi was entirely sure why. All he knew was that he had to make it through, somehow.  
  
Pushing open the door, Yuugi stuck his head inside. Just as he expected, Oscar was still asleep on the bed.  
  
Yuugi hated using that name, but the youth still refused to tell who he was. And it worried Yuugi that after a week no signs of recovery were evident. It seemed the bleeding was only capped from dried blood, and no more.  
  
Sitting on the edge of the bed, the noise woke up the sleeping invalid.  
  
"How are you feeling, any better yet?"  
  
No response. Why wouldn't he at least answer?! Yuugi persisted.  
  
"Is there anything I can get for you."  
  
"Leave me alone."  
  
"I won't."  
  
"Go away, just leave me alone! Please!" More tears. Oh, how Yuugi wished he could make them go away.  
  
"I want to help you."  
  
"No!" Now furious, the strange male sat up, pushing Yuugi away.  
  
Yuugi was pushed to the floor, and Oscar managed to stand to try and make him leave, then collapsed where he stood.  
  
Too weak to stand, too weak to fight. Crying where he fell, Yuugi wrapped him up in a warm embrace. The poor being on the floor was too weak to fend him off, now.  
  
"Why the fuck do you keep caring?!"  
  
This time, it was Yuugi's turn not to answer. One reason, he didn't know himself. Another, it didn't really matter. He cared. That's all that counted.  
  
"Come one, let's get you back on the bed. You obviously still need more rest." Oscar didn't even feel like protesting, just allowing the teenager to put him back where he was.  
  
With a hug and a gentle caress on the cheek, Yuugi whispered his goodbye. "I'll be back later, to see if you're okay. Rest easy."  
  
And still, the stranger cried. Even after Yuugi had gone.  
  
He really wanted to accept the boy's love and compassion that he was offering, he really did. But how could he, knowing the nightmare that he was? Yuugi would never accept him for what he was, and still want to set eyes upon him.  
  
Gods, it was hopeless. He was still doomed. Why wouldn't the fates just let him die? Why, damn it!?  
  
He was a useless, empty shell of a dark void that nothing could fill. Nothing. Not even the brilliant light of that boy, though he still tried, not knowing what he touched everyday.  
  
If only he knew.  
  
He'd find out, soon enough. There was no doubt about that. And when Yuugi did, the stranger in his bed would be alone yet again.  
  
Maybe those hunting him would finish the job the next time.  
  
Dear gods, if only Yuugi knew.  
  
* * *  
  
S'all for now, please R&R, tell me what you think. I wasn't really going to do much with this one, but so many people reviewed on this one. I just couldn't leave it. Hope you liked, much more explaining will come in the next chapter. 


	3. To Give a Name

Bridled Deception  
  
The stranger on the bed, still lying like he had for two weeks and counting, tried to roll onto his side, angered to find out that the pressure hurt his already bruised and bleeding arm. Gods, how he wanted to get out of there. He wanted out, and he needed blood.  
  
Granted, that opportunity presented itself to him everyday. There wasn't a morning that he'd wake up or an evening when he fell asleep that Yuugi wasn't at his side.  
  
For one reason he refused the opportunity, he still wanted to leave this earth, although he'd merely end up rotting Hell, like he had done so many years before. Another, he liked the teenager.  
  
Why the hell he liked him, not even the demon could figure that out. And Yuugi smelled incredible. Honey and vanilla and honeysuckle.  
  
A cold breeze filled the dark room, a hard, dry cackle filling his ears.  
  
"Well, well, well. What have we here? A demon stuck in a cycle of endless bleeding?" The voice clicked its tongue against the roof of its mouth, chiding him.  
  
His crimson eyes rolled to the side, seeing a white haired demon sitting on the desk, black wings drawn close.  
  
"Go away, Bakura. I'm not in the mood to deal with you."  
  
Another raspy chuckle. "You're not in any condition to be dealing with anything right now. Too bad you can't stop pitying your existence to just get the vital liquid that you need to heal."  
  
"Shut up, demon."  
  
"Oh, what's the matter Yami, are you developing a crush on a mortal?"  
  
The invalid growled loudly. "Why the hell are you even here? Bored like you usually are? If I could get up, I'd kill you and send you back to Hell where you belong."  
  
"Oh, I have no doubt about that." Bakura turned his ice blue eyes upward, thoughtful. "Funny how humans always get us mixed up with vampires, don't you think? We need blood to heal, and just because we like it. But vampires need it for survival." He paused. "And we can go out in sunlight. Too bad. Imagine what Yuugi would do, if he thought you were a vampire, much less the demonic creature that you are."  
  
"Stop speaking your words which are dripping with poison, bastard. Leave me alone!"  
  
Another cackle. The night around them both shook with the condescending tone, ironic and cruel.  
  
"I'm hear to tell you something, which you probably don't care to hear. But I'll tell you anyway. Those witches that were hunting you came back the next morning, after they left you for dead. They wanted to watch your body burn. Do you know that they did when they saw that you were gone?"  
  
"No, and I don't care what they did either. But what I want to know is when they're going to get here and finish the damned job?" Yami's voice shook with his anger and his pain, something which he would probably never be rid of until death. Then he could dwell on it in Hell, where he belonged. And where he had been before.  
  
"They are currently scavenging the earth in search for you, and won't rest until they find you. You know that their hatred for us runs deep, especially for you. I've come to tell you that they are almost here. Pegasus has sworn that if you return to Hell again with not so much as the feather of an angel, he'll banish your soul forever."  
  
Yami froze. "Y-you mean, kill my soul? So I can't even rot in the bloody pit below?"  
  
"That's right, bastard. Kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place, aren't you?" The demon on the desk laughed again. "Poor Yami. What do you do? Wallow in your self pity, and wait for non-existence? Or overcome this and kill again, like your broken spirit is so tired of doing?" More laughing. Gods, why wouldn't he stop laughing? The cold reverberations jarred Yami's bones and filling his body with a thriving pain.  
  
Silent tears streamed down the demon's cheeks again. What was he to do?  
  
"I'll leave you now, Yami, to dwell on this with your salty tears for company. I have my own mortal to play with for now."  
  
And with that, the demon Ryo Bakura disappeared as fast as he had come.  
  
* *  
* *  
  
Yuugi awoke to the sounds of heart-wrenching sobs leaking through from the spare bedroom.  
  
'Oh no, not again.'  
  
Only once had the stranger's sobs kept him sleepless at night, and Yuugi stayed by his side till morning when a dreamless sleep finally came, stopping the endless flow of tears. What happened tonight to cause such distress, he had no idea.  
  
But he would be there to help Oscar through it, no matter what.  
  
Wrapping a blanket around him to fend off the cold, Yuugi left his own room and entered that of the spare.  
  
The choking was stronger tonight. Stronger than it had ever been.  
  
Moving to the bed, Yuugi leaned over him and began to wipe away the tears. "Are you all right? What happened? Was it a bad dream?"  
  
"Oh Yuugi, just go away. Why can't you leave me alone?"  
  
The small teen was taken aback. Had the broken youth actually used his name? He never had before! Never addressed anyone!  
  
"You used my name."  
  
"I-what?"  
  
"You used my name," Yuugi reiterated.  
  
There was no response.  
  
"Please tell me yours."  
  
"I won't."  
  
"Why?"  
  
The invalid stopped short. He couldn't tell his name. Yuugi would hate it. Any mortal would, if they knew the monster that he was. And deep down, he didn't want to accept Yuugi's rejection. That damned Bakura was right.  
  
"I won't."  
  
"Please," Yuugi pressed again. "I want to know more about you."  
  
Oh no he didn't. The demon was sure about that. But, on the other hand, it probably -would- make Yuugi happy.  
  
"I-it's Yami." He turned his head to the side, afraid of the response.  
  
Yuugi rolled the name over a few times in his mind. "Darkness? That's, that's really neat. I like it. It really fits you. Why wouldn't you tell me sooner?"  
  
It was the demon's turn to be taken aback. Yuugi _liked_ it? Really? "You like my name?"  
  
"Of course! Why wouldn't I? I've never met anyone with that name before."  
  
"I. . .I thought you'd hate it."  
  
Yuugi looked down sadly and a little shocked for the umpteenth time that night. Cupping both cheeks, he brought Yami's eyes over to meet his own. "So that's why you were afraid. I want to tell you this now, in case you ever have any doubts later. I won't hate _anything_ about you. I mean that. Not ever. No matter who you are or where you came from, I will never abandon you because of it. I promise you that. Never."  
  
Oh, if only the child knew what he was saying. If only he knew.  
  
If only Yami knew it was true.  
  
"You should try and get some rest now, Yami. If you want me to, I'll stay here with you for the rest of the night."  
  
"Yes," he said after a short hesitation. "Please stay."  
  
Yuugi was overjoyed. Finally they were making progress. He was breaking through the mental barrier that Yami had set up. So, wrapping his blanket tightly around him, the young teen laid down on the edge of the bed, a protective arm around Yami's shoulders.  
  
The demon slept better that night than he ever had before.  
  
* *  
* *  
  
Yuugi bounded down the stairs the next morning, his usual happy-go-lucky self.  
  
"Well, what made you so happy this morning," Mr. Moto inquired.  
  
"Oscar told me his name last night."  
  
The elder man quirked an eyebrow. "He did?"  
  
"Yep! We're making progress! I told you we would!"  
  
"And what is it?"  
  
"Yami."  
  
Solomon mused to himself for a minute. "Well, it does fit him, doesn't it? Why wouldn't he tell us sooner?"  
  
"He was afraid that we'd hate it. Can you believe that?"  
  
"Sadly, quite easily. Good work Yuugi, we just might make it through to him yet."  
  
And with that, the exuberant teen picked up his bag and bounded off to school.  
  
* *  
* *  
  
Well, what do you guys want to see next? Ideas, comments, suggestions, and flames welcome. 


	4. If Only You Knew

It was a cold, dreary November day, and Yami hadn't said a word all morning. Yuugi was hoping that the two of them might be able to talk more, considering the fact that he had a three day weekend off of school. But nooo, Yami had to bring back up his emotional sheild again. And just when they where making such good progress, too.  
  
'He'll have his good days and his bad days, you dope. He can't be happy all the time. He's still in pain, for cripe's sake!' Yuugi mentally chided himself. A habit he seemed to be getting into more frequently, lately.  
  
"Yuugi, what are you up to right now," Solomon questioned his grandson.  
  
"Nothing right now. I just finished my math homework for the weekend."  
  
"Do you have anything else to do?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Good. Why don't you help Yami down the stairs from your bedroom into the living room. He needs the exercise, and being in a different room will be good for him. I have to go to the store."  
  
"All right, Grandpa. I will."  
  
"No matter what happens, don't loose you patience."  
  
"I won't."  
  
And so, Yuugi walked upstairs as Solomon walked out the front door. Just as he expected, Yami was resting in the sea of blankets and pillows, fending off the cold from the bleak fall day. Snow was predicted to come anytime now, the clouds thick with moisture.  
  
"Yami," Yuugi ventured.  
  
Sad ruby eyes turned to look at him, skin flushed and pale. "Yami, how are you feeling?" No response. Sighing, Yuugi walked over and put his arms around Yami's chest. "Come with me, Yami."  
  
Yami winced. He was still in -so- much pain, he merely wanted to waste away. "I know it hurts, Yami, but please get up. For me. I'll be here the whole time helping you. I won't let you fall."  
  
Damn. 'For me.' Damn damn damn. Why the hell did he have to have a weak heart on top of all of the shit that he was in at the moment? Feeling like a boneless chicken, he struggled to comply, coming to rest on Yuugi's shoulder. Tenderly Yuugi supported his heavy head, giving soft pets every now and again.  
  
Damn, if Yuugi ever found out the moster he was. No! he couldn't think like this! He couldn't retaliate and hurt the kid! Damn damn damn!! Why did this all have to happen to him!?  
  
Silent tears streamed down his face, this time from desperation and loneliness than anything else. Yuugi had long since grown acustomed to the crying, and would simply whipe the tears away. Just as he did now.  
  
Slowly standing up, Yuugi held on firmly to Yami's waist and led him out of the room to go down the stairs.  
  
"Good, Yami. You're doing good. Keep going, one step at a time. Good." Slowly they made it out of the bedroom and headed down the hall to the steps. Down the steps they would head into the living room.  
  
It seemed like an eternity had passed until they finally reached to bottom stair, both tired. Yami was just now getting to like the warmth that Yuugi emitted, and suddenly remembered what he was. Berating himself, he cried out.  
  
"Get away from me, Yuugi! I'm a moster! Go!"  
  
Startled, Yuugi let go, and Yami tumbled to the floor. Yuugi was frightened to see him still flailing.  
  
"Yami, stop! You're going to hurt yourself!" Attempting to get a hold of the thrashing youth, Yuugi struggled to speak to him to no avail.  
  
Yuugi didn't know what exactly possessed him to do it. Maybe it was instinct. Maybe it was out of desperation. He couldn't tell, and he would often wonder about in the hours to come. Out of lack of what else to do, Yuugi pushed his lips firmly into that of Yami's, not moving until the other was completely still and silent.  
  
Yami was dumbfounded, and too lost in the delicious taste of the kiss to realize just what was going on. So he sat where he had fallen, wanting more than anything to hold on to that kiss forever.  
  
Thing was, he was to shocked to even move for the embrace.  
  
Moving away, Yuugi looked at him a little sadly, wishing that he could break through to Yami entirely. "Come on, let's get you on the couch," he whispered.  
  
Without a word of protest or hesitation, Yami obliged, and rested on Yuugi until he was up and sitting on the plush green upholstery.  
  
Gently caressing his cheek, Yuugi allowed him to settle in, then went and got him some blankets. Soft and fuzzy ones, too.  
  
A while later, the two of them heard a nock at the frotn door, and Yuugi got up to answer it.  
  
"Hey, Yug! How's it goin'?"  
  
"Fine, Jonouchi! What are you doing here?" Yuugi looked at his blonde friend in curiosity.  
  
"The gang is heading to the movies, wanted to know if you wanted to come or not."  
  
"I'm sorry, Jou. I can't. I have someone I have to watch."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"I'm sure."  
  
Jonouchi looked at his friend oddly. "Who is it?"  
  
"You remember about the person I found and told you about? The one that we're taking care of?"  
  
"Oh, yeah. Gramp's ain't home?"  
  
"No, he had to go to the store."  
  
"Well, okay man. You know where we'll be if you change you mind."  
  
"Thank's Jou. I'll see you later."  
  
"Ciao."  
  
Luckily, Yami hadn't heard the conversation, being as he was in the other room. Otherwise, he would start berating himself for hindering Yuugi's social life. But Yuugi really didn't mind. For some reason, he liked taking care of Yami, even though he was rejected most of the time.  
  
'I'll get him to open up yet,' he told himself encuraginly.  
  
* * * *  
  
Ryou shivered agaisnt himself. Gods, a three day weekend. Did the fates just have it in for him or something? What the fuck!?  
  
It was cold. And it was dark. That's the way _HE_ liked it. That's the way _HE_ always liked it.  
  
_HE'D_ be here soon enough, ready to pounce on _HIS_ unsuspecting prey. Oh, but such bitter irony. The prey knew what was coming. The prey was expecting it.  
  
But, why the HELL was he almost looking -forward- to it?  
  
Cold and cruel laughter filled to tiny room with such force it jarred Ryou's bones and made his marrow freeze to the core. It was _HIM_.  
  
"Well, my little pet. What kind of game to you want to play tonight?"  
  
Ryou shivered, feeling used. "I"m not just some toy you can throw away when you get tired of me!"  
  
_HE_ raised a sardonic eyebrow. "Oh, really?"  
  
In an instant he was stratling Ryou on his bed, squeezing his arms. "We'll just see about that." _HE_ crushed their mouths together with the force to bruise.  
  
Ryou cried soft tears. Why, oh why did this hapen to him? Why would a demon take intrest in little ole' him?  
  
Why was he liking it?  
  
* * * *  
  
S'all for now. Sorry update took so long, finally out of school! I'll be in California for a few weeks, so updates will be cronic for a couple of weeks, then stop, then become intermitten when I get home. Review? 


	5. With Open Arms

Yuugi made his way up the small flight of stairs, fluffly white cotton towels in hand. As much as Yami still wanted to stay in bed to let his ever present pain ebb, he still needed a bath.  
  
Dropping the towels off in the bathroom, Yuugi made his way over to the spare bedroom and pushed open the door. Like he expected, Yami was lying motionless on the bed, sleeping.  
  
Yuugi felt bad for disturbing such a restfull slumber, but was determined. Brushing his thumb across Yami's cheek, he softly spoke the other's name. "Yami, I need you to get up now."  
  
Mumbles and an innaudible sigh, slight shift in position, but no ruby eyes opening. "Yami. . ."  
  
"What is it Yuugi," he mumbled, eyes still closed.  
  
"I need you up. Please? There is a bath waiting for you."  
  
Another groan, but Yami decided to comply. It's not like there was much else for him to do. With Yuugi's arms around his waist, he slowly sat up, and was pulled off the bed much like the time he was escorted to the living room.  
  
The young teen tried to be carefull, cringing every time Yami winced in pain. Yuugi could never remember the trek to the bathroom down the hall taking so long before.  
  
However, they did reach it, Yami finding that indeed, the bathtub was filled with pleasently warm water with few bubbles, so as to not irritate his wounded skin.  
  
Still keeping a tight hold around Yami's waist, Yuugi slowly undid the buttons of the pajama top that the other wore, carefully helping to remove one arm, shifting position, then the other arm.  
  
Blushing, Yuugi realized that the pants needed to be remeoved. "Yami, I need you to lay down on the floor so we can get your p.j. pants off. You can't stand up on your own." At the nod of affirmation, very slowly did he lower the taller person to the floor, lying him down on the soft towel that had been deposited to absorb water.  
  
The demon could not believe that this was really happening. He felt completely helpess, and completely vulnerable. Two emotions that he detested.  
  
Without any mishap the article of clothing was removed and tossed into the hamper next to the wall, and Yuugi gently helped Yami back up and put him into the tub, proceeding to wash the unruly hair that was so much like his own, and run a soaked spunge delicately over the tanned, frail body.  
  
Yuugi, had Yami been in any more pain, would have been panicked, and for some reason, new that he should have been. Not since the night that Yami was brought home had any of the wounds healed, and Yami ate barely anything. If anything at all.  
  
Yami could feel hot breath raining down his wet skin, and felt a soft hand around his shoulder as the sponge continued to wash away all of the dirt and grime that covered him. It was oddly comforting, and he found that he could live in this feeling all day. If not longer.  
  
"We're really worried about you, Yami." The young teen's soft voice glided over his ears, drowsy and warm. "You haven't healed. Grandpa said that there are some poeple that have a condition where their skin doesn't close if they get hurt. He thinks that maybe we should take you to the doctor."  
  
Finally, the sponge put down, the bath was nearly over. "No. I don't need a doctor. It wouldn't do any good, and would only cause trouble."  
  
"Why do you say that?"  
  
"Because of what I am."  
  
Yuugi was getting slightly disgruntled. "And what are you?"  
  
The demon looked away. He couldn't tell. He would be thrown out of the house, and those hunting him would kill him, and then his very existance would be extinguished. "You don't want to know."  
  
The water drained from the tub, Yuugi wrapped a towled around Yami and lifted him up, proceeding to dry him off a bit before returning to the bedroom. "Yes I do."  
  
"No. You don't." He rested his head on Yuugi's shoulder for comfort and support, as his legs were quickly giving way.  
  
"If I didn't want to, I would not have wanted to help you as long as I have. I told you that I won't abandon you, no matter what or who you are."  
  
"You don't know what you're saying," the demon uttered sadly.  
  
Carefully the two made their way back to the bedroom, easing Yami back onto the bed.  
  
"Please tell me what you are."  
  
"No."  
  
"Please."  
  
"No!" Yami closed his eyes in frustration. Yuugi had been prodding him for weeks on end. "I can't!" he exclaimed, almost desperately.  
  
"Please!" Gods, did Yuugi want him to answer.  
  
Finally, after weeks of isolation, loneliness, and depression, Yami snapped.  
  
"You want to know what I am? Do you?" He struggled off the bed, towel still draped around him.  
  
Yuugi starred awe struck as Yami, somehow, managed to keep somewhat of a stance, his back arching.  
  
This wasn't real. Nope. It wasn't. Not real.  
  
It was.  
  
Black feathers, absorbing light and sound and creating their own, contained little void, drifted around him and landed on the floor.  
  
Beautiful, arched, black wings that were too large for the body from wence they came, ruffled slightly, releasing more feathers.  
  
Yami crumpled to the floor under the weight and the strain, fangs gleeming, eyes tearing. "This is what I am, Yuugi. I am a demon."  
  
Yuugi was utterly surprised, to say the least. But he was not horrified.  
  
Yami's wings were utterly glorious, and for some strange reason, the fangs seemed to fit his features perfectly.  
  
Walking over to the demon's side, the young teen wrapped his arms around Yami's shoulders, running his fingers through the now barely-damp hair. "You never told me black was such a fitting color on wings."  
  
Too surprised by the comment, the demon sat there silent, relishing in the warmth of the embrace as he had never been able to before. "But why do you care?" he whispered in the youth's ear.  
  
"Your not a monster, Yami. Monsters don't cry. There are feelings inside of you. I can see them. That is reason enough for me to help you, no matter what."  
  
Yami cried, this time not from sadness, but rather from relief. Utter, utter relief. "Did you fall Heaven? Or did I rip you out when I wasn't looking?" It was now that he decided to hold the young man just as close.  
  
"What happened to you, Yami? Why are you so hurt? And why won't you heal?"  
  
"The Witches," the demon's hoarse voice replied.  
  
"The who?"  
  
"It's the Witches. They want me dead. One hundred and twelve years ago, I killed fifteen angels, and they have been seeking my blood ever since. I haven't destroyed since then, and the oldest demon in Hell swore that if I return with out so much as one feather from an angel, that he's going to banish my soul for eternity. The Witches left me in the alley that you found me in, intent on burning me the next day."  
  
Now, Yuugi was horror struck. "No, Yami. I won't allow it. They won't touch you. I'll keep you here. They'll never find you. I promise. They won't."  
  
"They're hunting for me now, Yuugi. They're already in the city."  
  
"I won't let them."  
  
"What can you do?"  
  
"I don't know yet, but I won't let them hurt you. Not again."  
  
Yami froze, muscles tensing.  
  
"What is it?," Yuugi asked.  
  
"They're here."  
  
* * * * *  
  
MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!! Now what are you going to do? Gods, how I love cliff hangers. Just wait till the next chapter. It'll be a good one. I promise. R&R folks, and tell me what you think. I'm a pyromaniac, so flames are always welcome. *eyes gleeming* 


	6. Bridled Deception

Last time, on Bridled Deception . . . .  
  
Yami paused, muscles tense.  
  
"What is it," Yuugi asked.  
  
"They're here."  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Yuugi froze. "What do we do?"  
  
A knock on the door resided from downstairs.  
  
Yami started shaking. "They're going to kill me."  
  
"No!" The young teen held on to the demon tighter. "I won't let them!"  
  
Knock, knock, knock!  
  
"Yuugi," Yami pleaded.  
  
"Get on the bed, Yami. There's nothing you can do, anyway." The demon obliged, allowing Yuugi to ease him back on to the soft surface, coverig him entirely with blankets. "They'll recognize me if they get in the house."  
  
"Oh no they won't." Yuugi placed a pillow on Yami's head, and turned out the lights. "You have a head ache, don't you Yami?"  
  
Yami was silent. Gods, if this didn't work. . . .  
  
Carefully and determined, Yuugi left the room, closed the door, and headed downstairs to the front door. Where, undeniably, his doom sat lurking.  
  
Another knock.  
  
Tentatively, Yuugi opened the door, starring dumbfounded.  
  
"Hello. Is this the Motou residence?" A kindly looking woman in a police uniform questioned.  
  
"Y-yes, it is. Can I help you?"  
  
Witches? Witches in police uniforms? No, this couldn't be right. No way.  
  
"Mr. Motou, I'm sorry to bother you right now, but the whole city is on alert. We're currently looking for a cereal killer that is highly dangerous."  
  
"O-oh really?"  
  
"Have you seen this man?" The police woman held up a blurry picture for him to see. Undoubtebly it was Yami, unruly looking hair and peircing crimson eyes. But it was only a sketch. Not even a real picture. And the portrayal of the demon was all wrong. His cheek bones were much higher, and his eyes didn't look so crooked. Yuugi had to stop himself from correcting their mistakes.  
  
"No, no one like that. Other than my own hair, of course."  
  
"Hmm." The woman seemed a little dissapointed. "Mr. Moto, I'm sorry to impose this on you. We're currently asking residence if it's okay for us to give the house a once go over, just to make sure that he hasn't been here. He has a way of 'leaving his mark' of were he'll attack next."  
  
"Umm, well, I'm not sure. My Grandpa isn't home right now and. . . ."  
  
"Oh, good. I'm glad you don't mind!" And with that she walked right though, blonde hair in a bun not moving in the slightest bit.  
  
Well, that went wrong.  
  
'Oh, Kami, oh Kami, don't let her find him. Don't let her!' A mantra took complete control of his thoughts.  
  
If Yami hadn't shown Yuugi his wings, the teen would have been hard pressed to believe the cop who was currently poking her head around in his living room. His wings, dear god his wings. Did Yami put them back?! Oh gods, let him have put them back.  
  
"Do you mind if I have a look upstairs, Mr. Motou?"  
  
"Umm. . ." Why the hell wouldn't she just leave?  
  
"Good, I won't be long."  
  
Yuugi followed her upstairs, and of course, she paused at the door to the right, which was currently closed.  
  
"Oh, please don't go in there," Yuugi asked.  
  
The woman quirked an eyebrow. "Why?"  
  
"Umm, well, you see. . . my lover is really sick right now and he has a huge migraine and doesn't like light or noise right now." Yuugi spit the words out faster than he meant to, surprised at the title that he gave the demon within.  
  
The woman raised an eyebrow. "He?"  
  
Yuugi blushed violently. "Ano, yeah."  
  
"Oh, I see. Like I said, I'm sorry to impose this on you, but I really need to check every room. Thank you for your cooperation." And with that she opened the door.  
  
Yuugi froze, unsure about what to do.  
  
Yami was still inside, immoblile on the bed. The police woman looked around, shifting her feet in the direction of the bed.  
  
At Yami's moan of pain or discomfort, which ever it was, Yuugi rushed past her to hover over Yami, running his fingers over the demon's cheek, whispering to him soothingly. "It's all right, koi, don't worry. Just a police officer, that's all." He said it loud enough for the woman to hear.  
  
Yuugi could see, under the pillow, Yami's eyes were clentched tight in pain, and his face was covered in sweat.  
  
Yami wished that he could have been acting, but he truly was in lots of pain. He felt like a giant fist was squeazing on his chest, sucking away his breath.  
  
Yuugi turned his worried gaze to the woman. "Please, he really is ill right now."  
  
"Well, all right. On to the next room. I'll leave you to make him feel better." And with that, she left and closed the door.  
  
Yuugi leaned close to the demon, lips placed at his ear, now under the pillow with him. "Are you all right? What happened?"  
  
"Her aura, Yuugi. It was pushing down on me, trying to get me to cry out. If I had, she have known. She would have surely caught me." His body was shaking under the strain.  
  
"Rest easy, Yami. She thinks you're my lover right now, and that you're ill."  
  
'Wish I was,' Yami thought bitterly to himself.  
  
"I'll be right back. I'm going to see her out." With one more caress for good measure, Yuugi left and closed the door.  
  
The woman walked back up to him from the back spare bedroom, satisfied with her search. "Thank you for your time again, Mr. Motou. Once again, I'm sorry to bother you. This killer is extremely dangerous. Left fifteen poeple dead one night."  
  
'How ironic,' Yuugi thought to himself. "That's all right. Thank you for your concern." 'Not.'  
  
With a nod and a wink, she left.  
  
Slumping against the hall wall, Yuugi let out the breath that he hadn't realized he was holding. His moment of triumph was short lived when he heard a cry coming from the bedroom. "Yami!" Standing, he bolted into the room and over to the demon's side.  
  
"Yami, are you okay? What is it?" The poor thing was writhing on the bed in pain.  
  
"T-that strain. Gods, Yuugi. I couldn't handle any more. I can't." Bloody tears were running down his face.  
  
"Yami, what can I do? You need to get better, or you're not going to make it through the night! Yami, please tell me!" Yuugi pleaded.  
  
The demon gupled for air, trying vainly to breathe. "Blood. I n-need . . . blood."  
  
"You mean like, a vampire?"  
  
An affirmative nod. Without even thinking, Yuugi hastily removed the black leather collar he always wore around his neck. Lifting up the convulsing demon, he held Yami's head to his neck. "Quickly, Yami. You need to pull through this."  
  
"No." Yami shook his head, refusing. "What if I can't stop?"  
  
"I'l help you, Yami. But please, don't let me loose you now. You know that you won't pull through after this strain. You need more help than rest."  
  
Finally giving up the moral fight, Yami pulled the neck closer to his mouth, allowing his fangs to delve into the soft pink skin.  
  
* * * *  
  
Don't you just hate me? Gods, I love doing cliff hangers. So who wants more? Tell Me tell me! 


	7. The Healer's Touch

Bridled Deception  
  
The demon allowed his fangs to delve into the soft, pink flesh, forcing crimson blood to spill forth.  
  
Being as he wasn't a vampire, it didn't taste nearly as good if he would have been. Blood only served the purpose to heal him. It was his only means of survival after a fight.  
  
But he did know, however, that this blood more than just average. Calling it ambrosia, the drink of the gods, would be an insult. It was filling him with such life and renewed energy as no other angel's blood had ever done in his far off past.  
  
And it was warm. So warm. Steaming and vibrant and overflowing with vitality. He let the intoxicating liquid splash down his throat as he drowned in it's effects.  
  
He could feel his arm healing, he could feel the bruises begin to deminish.  
  
Incredible.  
  
And Yuugi had been so willing! Knowing full well that he was a demon and a previous killer and resided in the bowels of Hell.  
  
And he offered to save his life anyway.  
  
Heh. A simple little infatuation. Not anymore. The demon's tiny little heart was starting to unshrivel.  
  
A moan from the young teen snapped Yami out of his trance, and he jerked his head away, hoping that he hadn't become so lost in his euphoria that he had taken too much blood.  
  
Blinking open his ruby red eyes, he looked at Yuugi, who was now being supported by him, eyes half-lidded.  
  
It would be so easy now. To just snap that pretty little neck, hear the satisfying 'CRACK!', but no. He fought his own nature of death and destruction.  
  
And, to his own surprise, and the butterflies dancing in his stomach, he nuzzled the teen affectionetly.  
  
AFFECTIONETLY.  
  
This was something that he didn't even know he had the capacity to do.  
  
Yuugi groaned again, swaying slightly. The serum from the demon's fangs was lulling him to sleep. "A-are you all. . .all right now, Yami?" He whispered.  
  
"Hai," the demon muttered back in his ear. "Not all of my wounds are healed. A couple of infusions of blood will be nessecary to heal all of the way."  
  
"Hmm," Yuugi nodded, ready to fall onto the bed. "D-do you want me to stay. . . with you?"  
  
The demon hugged him, while continueing his show of affection. "Would you?"  
  
"H-hai." And with that, Yuugi collapsed on the bed next to Yami, who also lowered himself back down again. Too much movement still would not be a good idea for him. It takes a while for broken bones of a demon to mend, after all.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Sugoroku kicked off his mud-ridden shoes in the entry way, allowing his bag of grocieries to be dropped unceromoniously onto the table. It was now snowing profusely outside, and the mud and grim seemed to thrive in the fresh slush.  
  
Running an old hand through his grayed hair, he decided to go upstairs and see how his grandson was doing. Yami was supposed to have been given a bath, and he hoped that all went well.  
  
The poor kid seemed to get along better with Yuugi than with anyone else.  
  
Walking up the stairs, snoring greeted his ears, and he peeked his head inside the door to the first spare bedroom.  
  
Well, this he certainly wasn't expecting.  
  
Yami was asleep, like usual. But what was odd, however, was he was on his side. Which meant that his arm wasn't hurting him.  
  
And his face didn't look as pale as before he left.  
  
What was even odder, however, was Yuugi was asleep right next to him. And Yami's arm was around Yuugi's chest.  
  
AROUND YUUGI.  
  
As far as the elder man knew, any and all contact made to the strange teen was a catastrophy.  
  
And yet here he was, sleeping soundly, holding someone.  
  
Sugoroku knew that Yuugi has stayed a few night with the stranger when the teen had some bad dreams, and was oddly welcomed at the time.  
  
Well, despite the oddness of the situation, it was a good sign. It meant the the stranger was recovering, and perhaps, just perhaps, Yuugi may get out of the teen where he was from, and if his home was stable to return to.  
  
Giving a half smile at the progress his grandson made in cracking that emotional shell, he turned to leave, noticing something soft as his foot brushed against it.  
  
Looking down, the old man saw that it was something black. Upon picking it up, a large, black feather greeted his aged lavender eyes. It was beautiful. Glimmering and sleek and so very, very soft.  
  
'Where in the blazes did this come from,' he wonderd. Shrugging, he set it on the desk and closed the door.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Well, all right. No cliffy this time. But the next chapters will have some more action-packed fluff and suspense, so stay tuned!  
  
Now, I would like the time to thank each and every one of my incredible reviewers, I love you guys!  
  
VampssAmby10210(Heh, sorry for making you twitch. This update took longer than I excpected) spellhorn(^-^ I know!) Meebee, lily22, Niko(Don't you just love me for it? ^__^) Ash-bob(Evil all the way!) iczer6(Heheh, sorry about that. I don't write about SERIAL killers all the time, and I only have word pad to use, no spell check! :p) anonymous, shitsumon(But cliff nagers are wonderfull!! Yami is a demon, and like all of the demon's in this fic, Yami needs blood to heal. That's all.) Princess Strawberry(Oh, you bet more action! That's what it's all about!) candy( Thank you love you love your support! Been with me all the way! Go candy!! ^-^) Jadesaber, Adrienne-Lillian/plushies(Gomen ne about the spelling, no spell check*sweatdrops and grins*) Kylie, Child Prodigy, Abi, Yami 27(blush blush, no other better stories? Really? MY GAWD! Look how big you're making my head!) flowa, yugifan2002(No, I'm not a big Tea fan myself, either. She rather bores me. *yawns*) MMW, ThyWingedWisp, laurie, ChaosDragon, chibizoo(*screams* You're one of my favorite authors ever!! *glomps* So glad you like!) kate, Susan, Karenu-anime, Sarina Fannel, EternalBanditGirl, Hirame, BlackLillyFlower, fuzzy coconut, Sailorstar, Treska Silverflame, manian the homocidal pyromaniac, Mikomi, Borath, DuoMaxwell, Maladyrancor, intros[ective-mortal, DracownyGirl, Yami's Tenshi, Amy, Mistykasumi, Keya Ishtar.  
  
Dear gawd. I don't think I've ever had so many reviewers. *whipes forehead* That was a lot to write! Really! SO MANY!!! *squeals* Love you guys! Keep reading and enjoying! I'm SO SORRY it took me so long to update. Not again! Promise! Now I'll rotate which stories get updated next!  
  
-Sorry if I mispelled any of the these, it was a lot to go through. 


	8. Enigmatically Entertained

At the touch to his chest, one lavender orb slowly flickered open, seeing a sleek tanned chest obstructing his view. The teen struggled to get the rusty gears in his head to move past his want of more sleep, trying to recapture the events of the night before.  
  
Ah, yes, now he remembered.  
  
Yami sighed contentedly, snuggling closer to the body he was holding. Of its own accord, the demon's face nuzzled Yuugi's silky hair, a small smile gracing his lips.  
  
Through the blush that Yuugi was holding down, he managed to see just how much more tanned the skin truly looked. One could almost call it . . . healthy. It didn't look deathly pale anymore.  
  
Yami's lips were no longer in a tight line, struggling through the pain he had endured for so long. Now, they were lush and full, almost a rosy color. His hair looked sleeker, shinier, fuller.  
  
The muscles were more defined as well. Sensuous curves and rippling deliciously with his slight movements.  
  
Yuugi's blush increased. Now looking at Yami, he could see that the creature next to him was truly exquisit.  
  
The teenager brought a hand up to the chest he was currently pressed against, feeling the heat that was now radiating from the larger body.  
  
Crimson eyes blinked open, pushing the sleep from its depths. His gaze found Yuugi's, and noticed their close proximity. He smiled. Or rather, he smirked. Something he used to do quite often. He laughed mentally when Yuugi's face turned beat red.  
  
"Good morning, Yuugi."  
  
"M-morning," the teen stuttered. "How are you feeling?"  
  
Yami closed his eyes, relaxing once again. "Better. Much better." He opened his eyes again, and saw the young teen's face brighten up.  
  
"I'm glad."  
  
The demon's crimson eyes looked confused again, brows furrowed in thought. Yuugi noticed this. The bloody pools looked lost and far away. Certainly not in a warm bed right now, with a teenaged look-alike spooned against him like a kitten.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
The eyes flickered with comprehension, looking back at the pleading face again. He grabbed one of Yuugi's hands in his own, holding it under his chin. He hesitated, whispereing one single word.  
  
"Why?"  
  
Why what's wrong? No, that's not what he was asking. Yuugi could tell this, for some strange reason. But why to what?  
  
The teenager blinked in confusion. "Why what?" He asked, just as softly.  
  
Ruby eyes searched his own amythest, looking, searching, for something. Lies? Emmotions? Deception? What?  
  
"Why do you help me? Why do you care? Why do you freely offer your own blood to heal me? Why don't you see the monster that I have been? Why don't you notice the blood staining my hands?"  
  
Yuugi sighed, giving a gentle squeeze to the hand holding his own. "Do you always have to have a reason for helping? And it's more than that. Don't you see? You're feeling guilt. Regret. Remorse for what you have done, whatever it was. Human emotions that ask for forgiveness. It's so easy to grant it. I already have. But the question is, can you forgive yourself?"  
  
Yami layed there stunned, as if shot by a bullet. There wasn't any possible way that this young man could still be in his teens. There are poeple who die very, very old, and still never grasp such concepts of forgiveness.  
  
His eyes watered slightly. "Thank you."  
  
Yuugi smiled genlty. "Always."  
  
Yami pulled the teen into a desperate hug, leaving very little breathing room. He held on to the teen like it was his very last life line, his last pillar of strength that held on to his only shred of sanity.  
  
But really, Yuugi was his only life-line. And he knew it. He would have been long since dead had it not been for Yuugi and all the young boy had done for him. His existance and his soul would have been wiped clean long, long ago.  
  
"Can you eat?" Yuugi inquired, recapturing the demon's attention.  
  
"When I am well, I tend to eat profusely."  
  
Yuugi chuckled, briefly reminded of his friend Jonouchi. "Well come on, we'll get some breakfast. Do you think that you're well enough to walk?"  
  
"Hai, I do."  
  
Yuugi pulled away from the embrace, standing and holding out a hand for Yami to take, who did so gratefully. The demon wabbled a bit, but otherwise kept his balance.  
  
Wrapping his arm around Yami's waist and draping the demon's arm across his shoulder, the two made their way cautiously down the stairs into the kitchen.  
  
Sugoroku was at the kitchen table, giving his full attention to his cup of coffe and the Sunday newspaper when he heard footsteps coming down the stairs.  
  
"Ohayo, Yuugi, I'm glad you're up. I was just about to go up there and get you. How did everyth-. . . ." the young teen's grandfather stopped in the middle of questioning how the evening events had transpired when he saw TWO poeple had come down the stairs.  
  
"Yami, you're up!"  
  
"Hai."  
  
Yuugi gently lowered him into a chair. "He says he's feeling better now, grandpa."  
  
"Well he certainly does look better. Nice healthy glow to your skin there, young man."  
  
Yami merely nodded in thanks.  
  
"Did you make anything for breakfast yet, grandpa?"  
  
"No, Yuugi. Not yet. You'll have to find someting for yourself and Yami. I need to go and do inventory for the shop. When you've finished up, I wouldn't mind some help."  
  
"Hai." Yuugi was now currently immersed in the contents of the fidge, waving at his grandfather as he walked out the kitchen. "Anything that you want in particular, Yami?"  
  
The demon thought hard. "Do you have the things for french toast?"  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Yuugi sighed heavily, falling onto the couch with a half-hearty 'UUMPH!' Inventory with his elder was ALWAYS an all day task, and he was cold from having to run outside into the large masses of snow that had fallen to put empty, unwanted boxes into the large garbage can.  
  
"Tired?" Yami's smooth, deep voice shivered down his spine.  
  
Yuugi snorted. "Don't wake me until Christmas."  
  
The demon chuckled. "I'm hungry."  
  
Yuugi outright laughed. "With how muh you ate at breakfast and luch, I'm surprised you can think about food. I think you out did Jonouchi-kun today with your appetite." Yuugi stared at the demon resting against the front of the recliner, sitting comfortably on the floor. "We could order pizza."  
  
Yami grinned. "I like pizza."  
  
"Then it's settled. Pizza." Yuugi picked up the phone and dialed the number to Tony's Pizza Shack that had long ago been burned into his memory. "Now let's just hope that they can get through the snow."  
  
Luckily, to their advantage, the snow plows had been out all day, and had managed to clear away the roads to allow easy passage. Yami ate more than half, which thoroughly surprised the two Motou's. Sugoroku just so happened to be a fan of pizza as well.  
  
It was finally when Yuugi helped Yami back into bed that evening that he asked why so much food, pulling the blankets up to cover the now tanned body.  
  
"I haven't eaten anything for nearly a month, Yuugi. Just little bits of what you or your granfather sent up. My stomach at the time was in pieces and couldn't handle it. Now that it can, I'm starved."  
  
Yuugi bit his lower lip slightly. "D-do need another. . . .infusion. . . .tonight?"  
  
The demon lowered his eyes. "If I want to heal all of the way, yes."  
  
Yuugi immediately lowered the colar of his shirt. "Here."  
  
"No, Yuugi, I can't! I already took from you last night. Too much blood loss is not good for you!"  
  
"I'll be fine, Yami. You need it more than I do right now. I want to see you get better. Take it."  
  
Yami sighed. "All right, Yuugi. But this is the last time. Not again. If I need more, it'll have to wait until your body has replenished what it has lost."  
  
"All right."  
  
Leaning up, he enveloped the teenager once more, and once again tasted the delicate flesh beneath his fangs.  
  
Heaven. Even if the blood tasted off, lacking the vampire lust, it was heaven flowing through him. It was intimate, and it was arousing.  
  
And for another night, the teen collapsed next to him, tired and sleepy. Gladly, Yami layed back down, holding the boy as close as he had that morning, smelling the sweet vanilla and cherry scent of Yuugi's hair.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
Gomen ne, everyone. Update took FAR too long. URG! So much to do! R&R!!! 


	9. Opposite Ends of the Spectrum

Yuugi awoke to the sound of gentle breathing, feeling a warm, moist breath cascade over his face. Just as before, Yami was nuzzled closely next to him, the faintest of smiles gracing his lips. His now strong, muscular arms held the teen tightly.  
  
His lips. They looked so much more lush this morning. Rosy and soft and . . .dear gods! What was he thinking?  
  
But they did. They truly did. His face was now almost a pure bronze. Glittery and smooth and. . .would it be tasty?  
  
Yuugi blushed profusly. He should not be thinking like this. He shouldn't.  
  
Shiny gold bangs fell gracefully across his chiseled features. Black and ruby tresses looking silky and smooth. He was gorgeous.  
  
Could he have a crush on a demon? Was it possible? Why had he been so drawn to help? Really, why? Yuugi hadn't cared before that the creature of darkness was on his death bed, pale and weak and helpless. He didn't pay attention to his looks before. But now, it seemed that the handsom features were just a bonus.  
  
Did he have a crush? He remembered what he had told the witch when she was here. 'You see my lover, he's really ill right now and has a headache and. . .'  
  
Yes, he had called Yami is lover. Why? He could have just said a brother or cousin, or friend. But no. He hadn't.  
  
He also recalled the day before. Yami seemed happier than ever. He actually joked around, laughed, teased, and relaxed. The smirk that he had received when he awoke, the hug and the playfull glances all day long. The way he laughed, it made Yuugi shiver with delight.  
  
"Dear gods," Yuugi whispered. "I think I'm falling in love with you."  
  
Yami stirred, eyes moving slightly under his closed lids. He was waking.  
  
Closing his eyes quickly, Yuugi fiegned sleep. Might as well see if Yami might do anything while he thought the teen was still slumbering.  
  
Ruby eyes flickered open, looking down at the person he was holding. He sighed, feeling lost again.  
  
Yuugi. Beautiful soft sweet angelic little Yuugi.  
  
Yami felt his tiny heart ache with want. Soft alabaster cheeks looked flushed, but Yami figured it was from sleep.  
  
The demon ran his fingers through the silky tresses, longing to do more. Yuugi had cared for him, yes. Despite the fact of what he was. But would he do more?  
  
Not likely. Yami hated it. It just wasn't fair! A human, fall in love with a demon? What chances did he have? None. None at all.  
  
He buried his face in Yuugi's hair, breathing in the delicious scent again. "It's not fair," he whispered dejectedley. "A human love a demon? It's absurd! Stop fooling yourself, Yami! You'll always be alone, eventually."  
  
Yuugi decided that now was the time to wake up. Moving his head up, he cupped Yami's face, and look him straight in the eye. "It's not that absurd."  
  
Before Yami could respond, Yuugi took this chance and placed a chast kiss on those lush lips.  
  
He was right. Yami did taste good. Spicy and sweet and creamy all at the same time.  
  
Yami was drowning. Perhaps he was still asleep. Probably. That would be his luck. But then he felt fingers clutch at his hair, and for some strange reason, he knew than that it was real. Gods, did the teen taste sweet. Sugared strawberries. But just as he was beginning to respond, Yuugi pulled away. Yami made a noise of annoyance when the heat left him. Jumping off the bed gracefully, the teen headed to the door and pointed hismelf in the direction of the bathroom, but not before shooting a wink and a small smile at Yami before he left.  
  
Yami sat in the bed, utterly stunned into silence. What the hell just happened? Half of the demon's mind was screaming in triumph, while the other half was wondering if was all just some silly dream. What did Yuugi get up for?  
  
Then he realized, his sluggish brain now kicking in. 'He's flirting with you, dumbass!'  
  
Yami smiled. For the first time in centuries, he gave a genuine, happy smile bubbling with contentment.  
  
This was surely going to be a VERY interesting day.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Ryou whimpered for the umpteenth time that morning. He HURT. He hurt extremely bad.  
  
The sound of his furnishings being rumaged through and pillaged wafted up to his ears. _HE_ was still here. _HE_ hadn't left for two days.  
  
Ryou kept asking _HIM_ why. All he got was a "SHUT UP! DON'T QUESTION YOUR MASTER!!!!"  
  
The snowy haired teen knew that he needed help. But he had no idea who he was going to ask to help him. No idea at all.  
  
How many people knew how to get rid of obsessive demons?  
  
Moving slightly a lightning bolt a fire ripped down his spine, ending at his toes. He whimpered again. Gods, he hurt SO much. But he had to get up. He needed to bathe, and he needed to find a way out of here.  
  
Who could he turn to?  
  
A lamp shattered in the living room. Great. Now how was he going to explain that to his father, once he ever got home? What was _HE_ looking for anyway?  
  
Pushing up against the matress, ignoring his body screaming at him in protest, he slowly lowered himself onto the floor.  
  
Walking proved to be more difficult that he originally thought, nasuea sweeping through his head.  
  
It took him ten minutes to reach the bathroom. It took him another twenty minutes just to get clean. He didn't even want to think about dressing, that took far too long as well.  
  
An hour and a half later Ryou was completely cleaned and dresses. But now the hard part; getting out alive and past _HIM_.  
  
Inching his way down the stairs, he froze when he realized that he hadn't heard any noises for the past ten minutes. This could be very bad.  
  
Summoning the courage that seemed non-existant, the small adolescent entered the living room, imagining himself walking on very thin ice. Or a bed of nails. Either one would work for the moment.  
  
_HE_ was sleeping on the couch, sprawled out and snoring. Ryou sighed softly. This was a relief, and it would give him a chance to get out of here.  
  
Snatching the car keys off the hook on the wall, the white-haired teen tip- toed out the front door. Thank the gods that his father forced him to get his liscense. This was a case where it would come in extreme handy.  
  
He wouldn't want to walk half-way across town to get help. Not with his time-frame, and not with his aching back.  
  
But where to go?  
  
Ryou could faintly hear his gut telling him to go the Motou residence. Why? Hell if he knew. But it at least seemed like a good start. Yuugi seemed to be pretty good at accepting the odder side of people. If he didn't think that his school-friend was crazy, he just might be able to direct him to someone who could banish demons.  
  
Church didn't seem like a likely place to go. And besides, churches seemed to frighten him for some odd reason.  
  
Starting the engine, Ryou left as quickly and as quietly as possible to the Kame Game Shop.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
More to come, so stay tuned! R&R!!! 


	10. Tantalizing Temptation

Yuugi stepped out of the bathroom quickly and quietly, anticipation swirling around in the pit of his stomach. The day was going to be an interesting one, to say the least. 

Coherent thought was completely lost to him at the moment, mind constantly wandering to a certain dusky-skinned demon traipsing though his house.

__

Yami. . .

The young teenager's head was floating through the clouds as he pulled on his clothes for the day in his bedroom. What would transpire between them now? Surely Yami was going to be happier, _much_ happier. Already he had been more jovial the day before, and that morning Yami looked even better, if it was possible. 

Yuugi's thoughts were distracted when his stomach started rumbling. Food. Mind set for the next task at hand, the teenager headed down to the kitchen. 

Yami was at the counter fixing himself some toast, running the butter knife over the golden-brown bread. Smirking to himself, Yuugi quietly stepped up behind Yami. 

The taller demon felt an immediate warmth pushed up against his side, seeing Yuugi reach over him to grab the loaf of bread. Yami, of course, could see that Yuugi could have easily gone around him to get the bread, but grinned to himself realizing the obvious flirting. 

"Good morning, Yuugi," he purred. 

Addressed smiled sweetly. "Good morning, Yami." 

"Sleep well?" 

"Mm hmm." He popped his bread into the toaster. 

Yami pushed his nose into Yuugi's sweet smelling hair as the teenager returned the loaf to its proper place on the counter. Vanilla and coconut. That's what Yuugi's hair smelled like today. 

Wait a minute. Recount. Strawberries, cherries, coconut. . .

"Yuugi, how many scented shampoos do you have?" 

Yuugi giggled. "It was a sample pack we got in the mail." 

"Hmm. . . " the demon thought. "I like the coconut the best." 

"Really?" 

"Yeah. Maybe you should look for peach too. I like peaches."

The teenager giggled. "I'll keep that in mind." 

Yami was a little regretful when Yuugi left his side to go to the fridge. A little silly perhaps, but he couldn't help but want to wrap Yuugi in his arms until they both suffocated. 

Heh. That could be a little fun. 

"What's this?" Yami looked up from his toast and noticed Yuugi frowning. "Blackberry jam? We've only ever had strawberry. What's this taste like?" 

The demon walked over and peered over Yuugi's shoulder, frowning thoughtfully. "Hmm," 

The top was open, as Yuugi had opened it to inspect the substance's dark color. Grabbing Yuugi's spare hand, Yami dipped Yuugi's index finger into the jar, then captured the digit between his lips. 

Yuugi looked like a deer caught in the headlights, mouth open in a large, silent 'O'. 

Sparks were dancing along the intimate, suggestive contact. Shivers ran up and down his spine. The teenager was coming to find out that Yami had a very, _very_ talented tongue. 

"Hmm," the demon released Yuugi's hand. "Tastes like blackberries." And, ever so casually, he walked over to pull a carton of milk out of the fridge. 

__

Oh, so you wanna play THAT way, do you. . .

Yuugi had always been adept at scheming. And right now, his brain went from floating in the clouds to drowning in the gutter. A place where almost every teenage boy's brain was. 

Of course, reacting now would only be too obvious. No, Yuugi was going to bide his time. If he had learned anything, he had learned that it was always good to have the element of surprise on his side. 

Wild thoughts of just how sweet Yami might taste wafted through his mind. 

__

Sweet-sweet Yami. . .

Hmm. . .patience, Yuugi told himself. _Good things come to those who wait_. 

"Yuugi, your toast is done" Yami's voice cut through his pondering. 

Yuugi, shaking his head vigorously in a vain attempt to think properly, strolled over and began to administer the jam to his rapidly cooling piece of toast. 

****

"Knock, Knock, knock" 

The sound of someone rapping on the front door captured Yuugi's and Yami's attention. 

"Who could that be," Yuugi wondered out loud. "Grandpa had to go to a business conference today for small business owners, couldn't be him. . . " 

Yami followed Yuugi to the entry way, intent on finding out the current intruder as much as Yuugi was. 

Yuugi popped open the front door, mouth slightly agape. "Ryou? Are you okay? You look like. . . like. . ."

"Shit," Yami finished. 

Well, that's all for now. Just got back from vacation, and I've been busier than a one-armed paper hanger. Will try to update more sooner. Leave a review? Please?


	11. Round Two?

****

Bridled Deception

"Jesus, Ryou, get in here! What happened to you?" Yuugi exclaimed worriedly, pulling his school-friend inside and closing the door. 

"Yuugi, I. . .I need your help." The white haired teenager followed Yuugi into the living room where Yuugi had him sit on the couch. 

Yuugi himself sat across from Ryou on the coffee table, Yami right beside him. Ryou's brown eyes looked up at the two and his mouth moved, making like he was going to talk, when all sound seemed to leave him. He starred wide-eyed at Yami, then back to Yuugi, then at Yami again. 

"Yuugi, who is this?" he questioned. 

"Oh, Ryou, this is Yami. Yami, this is my friend Ryou from school." 

The demon seemed to be studying Ryou intently. He said nothing. 

"No relation," Ryou questioned. 

"None at all," Yuugi replied. Ryou seemed crestfallen at this, gulping slightly. 

"Yuugi he's not a. . ah. . . _demon_, is he?" the small teen whispered, squeaking slightly. 

Yuugi and Yami both lost the ability to keep their mouths closed. "How," Yuugi began, bewildered. Yami looked skeptically, like something was going to pounce on them at any minute. 

"Yuugi, stay away from him! They're dangerous!" Ryou burst out without warning. He looked desperately for an escape. 

"What happened to you?!" Yuugi exclaimed again, sitting up more to show Ryou to stay put, and that nothing was wrong at the moment. Shaking but silent, Ryou starred transfixed for a moment. 

"It's a demon, isn't it?" Yami questioned, deep voice resonating somberly, knowingly. Ryou nodded dumbly. "Who is he?" 

Ryou shook his head ruefully. "He won't tell me." 

"What's he done to you, Ryou?" the violet eyed teenager asked gently. 

Ryou kept his arms wrapped pathetically around him, bruises and a swollen lip making him look all the feebler. "Raped me," he whispered. "Beat me, destroyed my house, verbally battered me. . . .the list goes on." 

"What's he look like," Yami asked. 

"That's what is so scary. He looks just like me, but. . .more evil. And he has icy blue eyes." Ryou shook his head, attempting to get rid of some horrible memories. "He won't go away, won't tell me why he wants to torture me, won't give me his name, and won't tell me what he's looking for in my house. He's driving me nuts." 

Yami sighed, rubbing a temple to soothe a small headache. "His name is Ryo Bakura, and he's a complete ass. He's stubborn, grabby, and a natural thief. He's also quite vain." 

"Well, that would explain his obsession with bothering me," Ryou spoke. 

"Yami, we have to help," Yuugi stated. At first, Yami didn't want to. It wasn't his problem, why would he care? He was never one to interfere into other people's business, no matter what was going on. 

But the pleading look on Yuugi's face made him change his mind. Ryou was Yuugi's friend. And if Yuugi's friend was in trouble, it made the teenager worried. And if Yuugi was worried about something, it then became Yami's job to fix it, that way it would make Yuugi happy. 

Funny how the ties of friendship work. 

A scheme was already being concocted inside of Yami's devious little mind. "I think I know of a way. . ."

"Please, though, don't hurt him. Just, make him stop what he's doing." 

The demon looked at Ryou cross-eyed. "Why do you worry about his safety?" 

Ryou visibly blushed, averting his eyes to the floor. "I-I'm not sure. I mean, I know that there has to be _some_ reason that he's doing all of this. If I could just find out why. . .I don't know. . .but I couldn't stand to see him hurt. I know that I'm not making much sense, with him beating me and all. . .but. . " Ryou broke off from his rambling, unable to continue. 

Yami was amused to see a goofy, knowing little grin on Yuugi's face, but wisely didn't say anything. 

"But I don't understand. Why aren't you hurting Yuugi? Aren't all demon's supposed to be evil?" 

"I was," Yami simply stated. 

"I've been taking care of him for a while, he was really hurt when I found him," Yuugi began to explain. 

"Why? Why wasn't he mean to you after he healed?" the white-haired teen questioned again. 

Yami coughed softly, then got up and walked into the kitchen. Yuugi sighed. "I guess they're a bit prideful too. You see, Yami's spirit had been broken when I found him. He was on his deathbed, and I brought him back to health. I think what it is, because we had a lot of emotional issues to work through, is that demons are pretty unstable. Yami wouldn't let me or grandpa become close to him. He was afraid that we'd reject him. He was simply too weak to fight us at the time. After all, that's why a lot of people are mean or vindictive; they're jealous, hurt, scared, alone, all kinds of things. When Yami realized that I'd always be there for him. . .Ryou, I've never met anyone else I would rather spend more of my time with than him." Yuugi finished with a crooked smile, remembering the past couple of days. 

"I wish I knew what to do," Ryou stated flatly. He did concede to what Yuugi said, though. "It does make sense, what you said I mean. Maybe you're right." He put his head in his hand and shook it softly, utterly lost at the moment. 

Yuugi got up and went into the kitchen, finding Yami standing next to one of the counters, deep in thought. Instinct brought Yuugi over to his side, wrapping his arms around the demon's slender waist, resting his head on Yami's shoulder. The demon looked a little surprised at first, then warmed up and pulled Yuugi closer to him. "Any ideas," Yuugi murmured. 

"I think so," Yami started slowly. Yuugi felt smooth fingers slightly lift of the hem of his shirt, playing at his delicate skin. "Like I said before, Bakura is a grabby little thief. If we put Ryou in a dangerous position, set it up to where it would only look like he would get hurt and it was just an accident in the waiting, I think that the demon-thief would do a complete turn-around in his attitude towards Ryou." 

Yuugi nuzzled Yami warmly. "Ryou shouldn't know about this, should he? To make it all the more real. We can't have him accidentally letting it out."

"No, we can not." 

The two jumped when they heard pounding at the front door, Yami tensing viciously and pulling Yuugi towards him tighter. "What is it," Yuugi questioned. 

"Yuugi, there's a police woman at your door," Ryou called back. 

******************

Review? Pretty please with a cherry on top? 


	12. To Thee, A Ploy

****

Bridled Deception

Yuugi was shaking. His heart had suddenly froze in his chest, leaving him utterly speechless. This couldn't be happening again. It simply couldn't. 

__

They know he's here. That's why they're back. Gods, what are we going to do? 

His trembling hand clutched desperately at Yami's sleeve, and he looked up questioningly, violet eyes pleading for an answer, or a miracle. 

"G-go great them, Yuugi, lest something looks amiss," Yami's voice cracked. Yuugi nodded dumbly, swallowing a lump in his throat. Turning sharply, he made to leave the kitchen. 

__

Wait. . .

The teenager turned sharply around, grabbing the demon in a sharp embrace. "I love you," he whispered in Yami's ear. And before Yami could respond he had turned and left. 

'_If I want to get out of this, I need to come up with a plan fast_,' Yami thought. 

Yuugi, in the meantime, was standing at the front door looking rather pale. A police woman with fiery red hair was looking at him with quiet green eyes. 

"Is this the Motou residence?" 

"H-hai, it is. Is something wrong officer?" 

The woman frowned. "Is the adult of the dwelling home?" 

"No. . ." what was she getting at? 

"Well, I would have liked to talk to them, but perhaps you can relay the message. Down at the station we've been getting some strange calls of people asking how they can protect themselves from a serial killer that's been on the loose, and we have no reports of such an individual in the area. People said that a woman in a police uniform has been going house to house asking if they'd seen anything suspicious, then searching the homes without authorization. Have you had any problems?" 

Yuugi was stunned for a moment. This was a _real_ police officer? Not just some hunter out for blood? Yuugi almost felt like screaming with joy. Instead, he nodded his head vigorously in agreement. 

"You have?" 

Yuugi turned his head in the direction of the kitchen. "Yami, come here!" Everything was all right now. Nothing to worry about.

There were some odd noises coming from the kitchen, a few curses, and a figure emerged from the door. 

This wasn't the Yami he had just seen a moment ago. 

The demon's face was deathly white. A strange yellow liquid seemed to be squirting out from odd places, looking like puss from long infected wounds. There was red juice as well, looking like. . . .

Blood. 

"Dear gods, what happened!?" Yuugi screeched. Yami seemed to be limping out of the kitchen and into the entryway. 

"So you _have_ been hiding out here all along! Sakuya was already here! How did you slip past her?" The voice was vicious, venomous, and angry. Yuugi turned wildly around to see a golden aura permeating the woman's body. 

__

It was another ploy. Had the witch somehow done something to Yami to make him that way? 

"No!" Yuugi positioned himself in front of the demon, arms outstretched in defense. 

"Yuugi, get out of the way," Yami's voice croaked. 

"Child, you don't know what you're trying to defend," the woman spat, swiping at the air with her hand and effectively throwing Yuugi across the room somehow. She turned her eyes back at Yami, slowly advancing towards him. "Look at you, demon. Too weak to defend yourself. I don't even need to call the others," she said with a triumphant grin. Yami's breathing seemed to be rather heavy. He kept looking at her with sunken red eyes, waiting for his end. 

"I want to feel you struggle beneath my fingers after what you've done," she hissed with glee, arm outstretched. 

The demon simply stood there, supporting himself on a nearby table, still. The only movements from him were the heaves of his ragged breaths. 

Her fingers came within inches of the pale neck, and Yuugi could only watch as Yami would be slowly strangled to death. 

Her fingers touched his skin, and the floor seemed to give way. A fiery light emanated forth from one of them, and a scream filled the air. The earth trembled beneath them. 

Yuugi covered his eyes from the blast, waiting to see if everything would eventually go quiet. 

Dead silence. 

Afraid to look, Yuugi peeked through his hands where Yami once stood. 

He was now kneeling on the floor. 

"Yami!" Yuugi jumped up, leaped over the fallen woman, and landed next to the demon, now afraid to touch him. "Yami, what happened? I-I don't understand." 

Yami smiled good-naturedly, giving a wink. "It's all right Yuugi. I'm fine. Just a little drained from that mental attack I just gave." 

"Y-your. . .okay?" He brought his hand up to Yami's cheek, brushing at it slightly. To his surprise, a thin film came off, revealing dusky skin underneath. He rubbed his fingers together. "Flour?" He poked at a glob of yellow goop on the demon's arm. "Egg yoke?" The red liquid. "Ketchup?" He looked at Yami who was wearing a sly grin. 

"You tricked her into thinking you were weak!" 

"Left her defenses wide open for an attack." In his relief, the teenager wrapped the demon up in yet another powerful embrace. "I thought I was going to lose you," he sighed. 

"Yuugi," Yami purred. 

"Hmm?" 

"I love you." 

Yuugi lowered his head slightly, blushing. "Did I say that?" 

"You did." 

He grinned. "I'm glad I did, too. I meant it." 

Eyes brimming with unsaid emotions, Yami wrapped up the smaller boy into a possessive hug. Yuugi loved him. 

__

Him. 

"Is it all right for me to come out now," the feeble voice of Ryou broke into their pleasant spell. Yuugi shook his head, jarring his thoughts back into order. "Yeah, it's all right now." He turned his head around as Ryou emerged, looking at the fallen witch on the floor, her face blank. "What did you do to her Yami?" 

"She's fine for now. She'll wake up shortly with no memory. All I did was re-arrange her mind, so she no longer knows about her past. It's quite hard to do to a witch, due to all of the defenses they have around themselves." 

Yuugi merely nodded. 

"There'll be more of them," Ryou spoke. 

"I know," Yuugi sighed. "What should we do?" 

"Why don't we go and see if we can't beat some sense into that ass whom is affectionately known as Ryo Bakura? Maybe we can get him to realize what a mistake he's making." And with that, Yami stood, ready to get cleaned and head out the door.

*************************

Gomen ne, every one. I know that this update took far too long. You see, we got a new computer, which didn't have Microsoft Word, so we had to make room downstairs for the old one, then I had to get a monitor, and then had to get it hooked up to the internet again, and. . . .


	13. Silent Snowfall

Just a little warning before we begin, Baku-chan has a _very_ nasty mouth and needs to have it washed out with soap, but other than that, I'll try to keep the profanities to a minimum. Enjoy!

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Bridled Deception 

The demon stalked down the snowy alley, intent on finding the little mortal that seemed to have slipped through his fingers. _Little bitch. I'll show you what happens when you run from your master._

Snowflakes were falling lazily from the sky, landing in his hair, catching at his eyelashes, and covering his clothing. Stupid humans and their affinity for fluffy looking things. _Just look how pretty the snow looks! Isn't it wonderful?_

Wonderful. Bah. Stupid mortals. Life wasn't wonderful. People weren't wonderful, and even those delicate little snowflakes had been known to freeze people to their deaths. Oh yes, wonderful indeed. 

The white-haired demon avoided the light of a street lamp as he prowled further on, thinking of the many different ways he was going to enjoy punishing his little mortal when he found him. 

His anger was boiling him up inside. How the _fuck_ was the boy still able to move? Hadn't he had enough punishment the night before? Then again, humans were gluttons for punishment, were they not? 

It was late now, well past ten o'clock. If he was right in his suspicions, Ryou had been gone for over six hours. Certainly more than enough time to get in a bit of trouble. 

Faintly, he almost wondered of the witches had gotten a hold of him to 'keep him safe.' No! He couldn't think like that. He had to find Ryou. He _would_ find the little human if it was the last thing he did. 

A deep voice rumbled from somewhere in the dark corner of the alley. "On a wild goose chase, are we?" 

Bakura stopped, starring at the spot the voice had come from. He was not in the mood for this at the moment, nor did he have the time. "Show your ugly ass, Yami. What are you hiding for?" 

The voice chuckled. "You of all people should now that I love hiding in the dark. It's one of my best fortes." 

The demon growled. This wasn't a time for a little bout of word sparring. "What the hell do you want? Finally decided to kill that little mortal of yours and finally heal?" What _was_ he doing out anyway, risking his hide just to tease another demon? 

The other demon chuckled again. My goodness, he was in good spirits. "Lost your little plaything, have you? Not very responsible, Bakura." 

"Stuff it, darkness. Why aren't you in hiding, anyway? Those witches are still on the hunt." 

The demon saw a small shift in the shadows, as if it were shrugging. "He may be hurt right now, you realize. Injured, out in the cold, demons lurking about. Pity." 

The fire raging inside of the demon almost burst. His vision was hazing with that familiar red fury. "Shut the fuck up! If you're going to sit there bothering me, then get off your lazy ass and _help_!" 

Yami laughed ironically. "What's the matter, demon. Got a crush on a mortal?" 

Bakura was seething. Yami was throwing his own words back in his face. _No one_ made a fool out of him. 

"Imagine what that face would look like, all blue, cold, frozen in some river somewhere…" 

"Stop it! Stop!" Bakura clutched at his ears, trying to drown out the words and the image. "Stop! What the fuck are you trying to do?! Get the fuck away!!!" 

"Mortals are very attractive, you know. Just take a look at the little one who helped me," Yami continued on, seemingly oblivious to Bakura's ranting. 

"Too f@$*% bad you killed him!" Bakura shot back. Just anything to shut him up! 

"Oh, no," Yami began again. "He's still very much alive…" he paused a moment, as if contemplating. "Wonder what you're little Ryou's into right now." 

Bakura shot a ball of dark energy into the shadows. "Stop mentioning him!" 

The energy bounced harmlessly off to the side, hitting a trash can. "Aha! So you _do_ like him! Admit it!" Why wouldn't the demon stop with all of the talking? 

"Shut the fuck up! I don't need this shit right now!!!" Snowflakes started to intermingle with his fingers as he clutched at his snowy white hair. 

"Then what do you need, Bakura? Enlighten me." Gods, did he sound so calm. He almost seemed…amused? Bastard. 

"I need to find the little twit before he _does_ die somewhere! Get up and _HELP_!" 

The shadows seemed to hum to themselves, thinking the response over. "You care, don't you?" 

The demon what about at his wits end. "Why the _fuck_ would I care?!" 

Silence for a moment. "Let me see. He's pretty, isn't he? All soft and fluffy? I'll bet he's got some brains on him. After all," a chuckle, "He did manage to escape from you. Oh, and he's also a nice little mortal, isn't he? The kind that makes you wish you were receiving his attention?" 

Bakura wanted to scream. "Leave me the fuck alone!!" The shadow's almost swore that they heard the voice crack. 

"Yes, so pretty." 

"All right!" Bakura screamed. "I like him, okay! Happy? I like him a lot! In fact, I like so damned much I'd turn myself over to witches right now just to find the little bastard! Now just shut up or help me find him!" 

It was utterly silent again, and utterly still. Snowflakes flittered down in the light of the street lamp. 

"I don't think that will be necessary." 

Bakura looked up confused, seeing a small profile begin to emerge from the dark recesses of the alley. 

Soft brown eyes sparkled at him with unshed tears and dripping with an emotion the demon had never seen before. 

Ryou smiled. "All you had to do was tell me." His feet slowly walked up towards Bakura, a bruise marring his delicate face as he gave a weak smile. The demon's heart wrenched slightly at the sight, realizing that it was he who had administered that blow but days before. 

He suddenly found himself wrapped up in as warm, fragile hug. "You…you were there the whole time?" 

Ryou nodded. "I just…I just had to know. You forced yourself upon me because you didn't know how else to show that you liked me. That you cared. I just had to make sure myself that your feelings were real." 

Bakura was dumbstruck. "And you…return the feelings?" 

The small body holding on to him chuckled weakly. "Hai… I do. I don't know why, but I do." 

Yami saw a small, crystalline tear escape the harsh, cold eyes of the demon Bakura. He stepped out of the shadows, holding on to Yuugi tightly. 

Bakura looked up at him, seeing the one who had helped Yami through almost death. "There's hope for us after all," Yami stated. 

Yuugi smiled at Bakura. "Who would have thought." 

Bakura was silent, thinking as well as he could in his suddenly petrified mind. Then, he laughed despite himself, a small chuckle that for the first time in his memory held no malice, no spite, and no hate towards those around him. "There's hope," he whispered. 

Ryou wrapped his arms around the demon's neck. "There's hope." 

Yami went suddenly still, and Yuugi recognized the stance all too well. "Run?" he inquired. 

Yami nodded, picking him up. "Yeah, that sounds about right." He started sprinting down the dark alley, seeing Bakura carrying Ryou just a little ways ahead. On foot, demon's were quite fast, and quite hard to catch. 

Yuugi laughed as the wind whipped about his face. He always did love a good game of hide and seek. 

~ * ~

Wow. This took a while. You wanna talk about a bad case of writers block? Yeah. Sucky. Very sucky. Well, hope you enjoyed, and more on the way. R&R!!! 

Again, gomen. That _was_ cruel not to update, and I'm usually not that bad. Honest! I'm not! *hangs head* All right. I'll accept the flying fruit now. Ja! 


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